Porn hack raises questions regarding OS and digital signage security

This past week, the media’s been abuzz with the recent hacking of digital signage kiosks in Washington D.C.’s Union Station. The simple fact that adult-oriented content was displayed nefariously in a public space frequented by people of all ages is cause for concern. And while this particular incident makes for catchy headlines, it underscores the (often overlooked) importance of security. Failure to take necessary security precautions leaves digital signage networks…for lack of a better term…exposed.

Truth be told, unauthorized access of signage networks happens more frequently than you may think – and certainly more frequently than is reported in the media. The reality is that most digital signage is now connected to the internet in one way or another – either to pull real-time content or for the purpose of remote network management. Internet connectivity leaves signage networks vulnerable, and software is the only deterrent that stands in the way of hackers.

All too often, standard consumer operating systems such as Android, Mac OS, Windows and Chrome OS are used to drive signage networks. And while consumer OS solutions are easy to implement and feature rich, they are notoriously difficult to protect. These operating systems are constantly updated as their publishers add new functionality and bug fixes. Each of these updates creates a new potential backdoor for hackers to exploit to gain access to the network. So unless network administrators and software vendors are constantly looking for and shutting down these backdoors as they’re created, hackers will find a way in.

For years I’ve preached the advantages of purpose-build digital signage over traditional signage solutions. Here is yet another example of how hardware and software with the sole purpose of powering digital signage hold a significant advantage over consumer-oriented operating system solutions. Proprietary operating systems that are built solely for digital signage far surpass consumer-oriented operating systems in their approach to security. A proven security platform that can be utilized in this proprietary operating system approach is one that is widely used in the broadcast industry. This approach allows for the content to be hardware-encrypted which enables an extra layer of security so that the content is real-time decrypted with customer-specific security keys in the processor at the time of delivery to the display.

The silver lining emerging from the Union Station incident is that it spotlights the importance of secure software within the digital signage ecosystem. Each notable security breach presents an opportunity for proprietors and vendors to reassess their signage infrastructure to ensure they aren’t at risk for the embarrassment and disruption of a compromised network.

Image via Istock.com

Original post: https://www.digitalsignagetoday.com/blogs/porn-hack-raises-questions-regarding-os-and-digital-signage-security/

Road signs are usually the target of hackers looking to get a little creative. They’ll hack into the road signs and put up messages about everything from zombie invasions to politically charged warnings. This time it was a private company that got hacked.

In May a hacker got into the billboard programming software of a company called Monumedia. They posted up an obscene image of a naked man (it gets worse than that, but for the purposes of this article let’s just say he was naked) on a billboard in Buckhead, Atlanta.

Shocking? Well, that’s what they’re going for.

As you may expect, some viewers were so upset by the image that they called the police. The police couldn’t really do anything about it other than try and find the owners and let them know they had to change the image.

The FBI was sent in to investigate and also determined that some other electronic LED signs owned by Yesco across the United States were also hacked.

As it turns out, security expert Dan Tentler has been trying to work with Yesco to secure their system as he has identified a clear loophole in their sign programming network that would allow this very incident. Yesco has turned him away.

Tentler has pointed out that Yesco, as well as many sign companies, use “cloud” software which keeps everything online, allowing their system to easily be hacked. Plus, they use very simplistic passwords that are easily bypassed.

Sunburst LED Signs has always steered clear of cloud software for several reasons. One biggie is how easy they are to be hacked. The last thing a business needs is a vulgar display from an immature hacker on the front of its building!

Of course, the other reason to not use cloud software is that you are tied to that company. If you bought your sign from Yesco, and they go out of business, your sign is now worthless. Or what if they get on board with the Microsoft way of doing business and decide to start charging you $500/month to use their cloud? Now that sign that you bought and paid for is worthless, unless you pay them an additional $500/month.

Do your research, protect your systems, and make sure you go with a sign that isn’t going to one day have a naked man on it disgusting your potential customers and getting you in legal trouble.

You Should Be Able To Trust Your Sign Company

This scene is from a sign company install in the North. I do not know the name of the company and wouldn’t want to jump their case even if I did. Nobody’s perfect and everybody makes mistakes. However, that brings up an important point regarding your sign company.

You Should Be Able To Trust Your Sign Company!

When you order a sign you should have a reasonable expectation that the sign will be completed in the timeframe quoted, that the price should remain the same and not have add-ons, that the sign should look the way it was presented, that it works properly, that it is as bright as advertised (if it’s lighted) and that it continues to look good for years to come.

Let’s face it, business owners have enough to worry about. They don’t need to worry about their sign too!

So when you’re shopping for a sign company, go with one that:

has been building signs for awhile (at least 10 years),

has a history of quality work (see examples of THEIR work),

ANSWERS THEIR PHONE (this is a biggie),

has more than one truck,

is licensed, and

builds its own signs.

Naturally, it’s impossible to eliminate every conceivable issue that may arise with a new sign job, but if you follow these steps you’ll greatly reduce the likelihood of having problems or being dissatisfied with your sign ordering experience.

Navarre Taco Bell suffers fire damage

The Taco Bell in Navarre suffered about $100,000 damage when a fire broke out just after 3 p.m. last Friday in the front area of the restaurant located at 8714 Navarre Pkwy.

No one was injured in the fire, and all Taco Bell employees and patrons were able to exit the building safely without incident.

Flames engulfed the upper front of the building as firefighters from Navarre Beach Fire Department, Midway Fire District and Holley-Navarre Fire District worked to stop the fire.

Early reports from Taco Bell employees were that the fire started when someone tossed a cigarette into a flowerbed with mulch in the front of the restaurant, which then caught fire and spread up the front of the building.

The State Fire Marshall’s report, however, indicates that the fire was caused by an unknown electrical issue. The fire has been ruled accidental, and caused an estimated $100,000 in damage, according to Anna Alexopoulos, press secretary of the State Fire Marshall’s Office in Tallahassee.